In this pizza:
- sweet potato
- salt
- black pepper
- onion
- olive oil
- balsamic vinegar
- kale
- garlic
- pizza dough (I recommend this recipe if you choose to make your own)
- shredded mozzarella
I’m just now realizing that, twenty-five posts into this blog, this here is my very first recipe featuring sweet potatoes—a rather astonishing realization, considering sweet potatoes are a staple in this house. We easily have them once a week, usually in tacos—a recipe that has been on my “to share” list since I started this blog and that I’ve probably put off because they are so dear to me, and at the same time as quotidian as my morning bowl of Crispix.
All that to say, I’m pretty tight with the sweet potato, and one day I’ll share with you my tacos—but right now, on this chilly December afternoon, a sweet potato pizza feels more appropriate. I’ve been making a version of this pie for more than five years now, and it makes use of all the produce I’m known to have on hand at any given time. It makes for a hearty slice packed with a satisfying play of flavors: the garlic radiates a baseline heat while the bitter greens and acidic balsamic counter the sweetness of the potatoes and onions. Then there's the flurry of textures: chewy crust, creamy mozzarella, pillowy potatoes, jammy onions, and leafy kale.
This one runs close to my heart; I hope you find it as nourishing as I do.
Directions
1. Cut about a quarter of a large sweet potato into half-moon slices. Lightly coat the slices with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast at 400°F for 20 minutes.
2. While the potatoes are roasting, cut about an eighth of an onion into thin slices. Place the slices into a small frying pan with about a tablespoon of olive oil, two teaspoons of balsamic vinegar, and a sprinkle of salt. Cook on low to medium heat, stirring occasionally and allowing the onions to cook down and get soft.
3. Chop up a large leaf of kale and a clove of garlic. Add the kale and garlic to the pan of onions with a touch more olive oil and salt; cook until the garlic is golden and the kale is wilted.
4. Shape the pizza dough. If you're using a store-bought dough, follow the baking instructions that come with it. If you use my recommended recipe, par-bake the crust for 4 to 5 minutes at 500°F; this makes it a sturdier platform for all the toppings as you transfer the pie in and out of the oven.
5. Top the par-baked crust with a brush of olive oil, a base of mozzarella cheese, sweet potatoes, onion and kale mix, and another layer of mozzarella.
6. Turn the oven to broil and finish baking the pizza for another 4 to 5 minutes.
7. Pour a glass of boxed Malbec, wrap up in a blanket, and devour your pizza pie over a gripping episode of The West Wing.
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